Riches — For the Few

9 In 1861, the rugged hills of New Zealand were also ringing to the sound of miners' picks. Experienced miners, some from the goldfields in the United States and Canada, and "new chums" were soon risking their lives along the rivers of the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. Canvas tents that afforded some protection in milder climates were discarded in favor of rough-built stone cottages. Once again, however, gold eluded most of those who believed somewhere, sometime they would find riches beyond their wildest dreams.

10 In the 1890s, according to Canadian historians Pierre Berton and Douglas Allen, an "estimated 100,000 people set out for the Klondike [in northwest Canada], 30,000 reached Dawson, half of whom looked for gold, but only 4,000 found any. A few hundred got rich." Not ideal statistics, you must admit.

11 Klondike miners had to trek over 30 miles through ice and snow and cross the notorious Chilkoot Pass, 3500 feet above sea level. Each miner was legally required to be self-sufficient for a year. That meant each miner had to carry about a ton of gear. This was achievable only by ferrying small amounts at a time. It was slow, heavy work at those altitudes and all in the hopes of striking it rich.

What does the word eluded mean as it is used in paragraph 9?
abandoned
eliminated
escaped
fled